Various immersive technologies (e.g., virtual reality technology, augmented reality technology, mixed reality technology, etc.) allow users of media player devices to experience immersive scenes that are different from a real-world environment within which the users and media player devices actually exist. For example, a virtual reality scene may be generated based on camera-captured scenery of a real-world scene or virtually-rendered scenery of a virtualized scene. Using an immersive technology such as virtual reality technology, users experience simulated scenes that may be difficult, expensive, or impossible to experience otherwise. Accordingly, virtual reality technology may provide users with a variety of entertainment, educational, vocational, and/or other enjoyable or valuable experiences that may otherwise be difficult or inconvenient for the users to obtain.
In some examples, virtual reality data is streamed from a virtual reality provider system to a user's media player device over a network. For instance, a virtual reality dataset representative of a virtual reality scene may be transmitted in real time as the user is experiencing the virtual reality scene by way of the media player device. Naturally, the user may desire that the virtual reality scene be received and presented at the highest standard of quality possible. However, generating and distributing virtual reality data consumes limited resources, and tradeoffs to quality are thus commonly made to attempt to preserve such resources. For example, by compressing data being transmitted over the network, a provider system may help ensure that data being streamed in real time does not fall behind what the media player device needs to provide the user with a smooth virtual reality experience (i.e., an experience free of lag, buffering interruptions, etc.). Unfortunately, conventional compression techniques typically compromise detail and quality of data, including, for example, the precision and/or accuracy of depth data used to reconstruct virtual reality scenes. As such, it is desirable to employ compression techniques that reduce resource usage while not impacting (or having a minimal impact on) the quality of the data.